Latest news with #HarGharJalYojana
Mint
6 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Panchayat leaders from 28 states, UTs to attend Independence Day celebrations as special guests
The panchayati raj ministry will host 210 panchayat representatives from 28 states and Union territories as special guests for the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort in New Delhi on 15 August. This comes as India sticks to its stand of protecting farmers in trade talks with the US. According to a press statement from the panchayati raj ministry, the panchayat representatives will be accompanied by their spouses and nodal officers, and 425 participants are expected to attend. This year's special guests include a significant number of women panchayat leaders who have brought visible improvements in their gram panchayats, like better infrastructure, enhanced public services and inclusive community initiatives. The women leaders have achieved significant success in saturating flagship government schemes such as Har Ghar Jal Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana—Gramin and Mission Indradhanush while also encouraging innovative local initiatives and solutions at the grassroots, stated the release. The government release stated that the elected women representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions exemplify the emerging strength of rural leadership, successfully combining their governance responsibilities with forward-looking development approaches across diverse regions of the country. Meanwhile, a formal felicitation programme for the special guests will be held on 14 August in New Delhi. The felicitation ceremony will include the launch of the artificial intelligence-powered SabhaSaar application, a digital tool to promote transparency, accountability, and public participation in local governance, specifically at the gram panchayat level, and the release of the 16th issue of the Gramoday Sankalp magazine. The SabhaSaar app leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to generate structured Minutes of Meeting (MoM) from gram sabha videos and audio recordings. Earlier, the minutes were transcribed manually. So, citizens can access the MoM and decisions taken by their panchayat members. Minister of panchayati raj (MoPR) Rajiv Ranjan Singh and minister of state for panchayati raj Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel will attend the function. Additionally, MoPR secretary Vivek Bharadwaj and other senior ministry officials will also be present on the occasion. The theme for this year's programme, 'Atmanirbhar Panchayat, Vikshit Bharat Ki Pehchaan', captures the vision of self-reliant panchayats as a pillar of developed India.
Time of India
11-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
New DDP indicators, GST collections reveal trends, cultural shifts in districts
Lucknow: The addition of 50 indicators to planning department's existing 26 categories, based on which a district's domestic product estimates (DDP) are calculated, has brought forth interesting revelations about the trends, behaviour and culture of various districts of the state. Final District Domestic Product Estimates for 2023-2024 were released a couple of months ago. DDP estimates of 2023-2024 include all 76 indicators, including GST collection through parlours and other items and collection of commercial tax. As the idea of including these indicators was mooted just a year ago, it might not show the holistic picture of any district's progress. However, it does throw light on the trend that the districts are gradually following. Going by one such indicator, women in Gautam Budh Nagar are more conscious about their looks than women from any other district. Though it is expected that not all the parlours are registered for goods and services tax (GST), the calculation is based on GST collection from parlours throughout the state. A total of Rs 11.21 crore was collected as GST from parlours in Gautam Budh Nagar, which was 38.45% higher than Noida's GST collection in 2022-2023 which stood at Rs 8.09 crore. Neighbouring Ghaziabad stood second with GST collection of Rs 7.24 crore, which was 34.02% higher than the collection of Rs 5.4 crore in 2022-2023. GST collections from parlours indicate that women in the state capital occupy third spot in beauty consciousness. Lucknow's GST collection from parlours in 2023-2024 was Rs 4.7 crore, 33.76% higher than the collection of Rs 3.51 crore in 2022-2023. Lucknow was followed by Varanasi which registered a collection of Rs 3.05 crore in 2023-2024. Interestingly, Varanasi registered the highest growth of 68.07% in collection from parlours as compared to previous fiscal which stood at 1.81 crore. However, when it comes to spending on entertainment, Lucknow tops the list with GST collection of Rs 24.5 crore in 2023-2024, a huge rise of 69.93% as compared to Rs 14.42 crore in 2022-23. Noida stands in second position with a collection of Rs 16.14 crore, registering a surge of 137.27% from Rs 6.8 crore as collection in 2022-2023. Moradabad made it to the list of top three spenders on entertainment with Rs 4.46 crore GST collection in 2023-2024 from entertainment. Similarly, there are indicators like GST collection from medical stores, private medical institutions, coaching institutes, budget allocation under National Health Mission, expenditure on Swachh Bharat Mission, tap water connection under Har Ghar Jal Yojana, district wise consumption of electricity and employer's contribution under EPFO. Other key indicators include forest cover, crop production and fuel consumption. "Besides giving a refined picture of a district's performance, these indicators are also helping in gradual shift towards formalisation as district officials will encourage more GST registrations which will bring higher revenue to the govt," principal secretary, planning, Alok Kumar III said. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Govt to penalise agencies failing to complete drinking water projects on time: Min
Bhubaneswar: State govt will impose penalties on agencies that cannot complete drinking water projects within the stipulated time, said panchayati raj and drinking water minister Rabi Narayan Naik here on Friday. Among the 207 ongoing mega drinking water projects in the state, 18 have been completed. "The govt is taking swift measures to complete all projects as soon as possible. Accordingly, a target has been set to complete 21 projects by Aug, 11 by the end of Sept, and 22 by Dec," said Naik. He said the govt is also considering setting up an agency for enhanced management of drinking water. "Access to clean and safe drinking water is a fundamental necessity. The govt is committed to providing that to all residents of Odisha," he added. Naik said 189 drinking water projects are being expedited and closely monitored. "In case of any irregularity in executing the work, actions are being taken. Accountability is emphasised in all these activities. Agencies that do not complete the work within the stipulated time will face penalties," he added. To ensure the availability of safe drinking water, 527,570 tube wells/sanitary wells, 21,401 production wells and 15,155 overhead tanks are being continuously sanitised. "Out of the 29,512 tube wells approved last year, 20,891 have been nearly completed," said the minister. He cited the example of Nuapada district where all villages have been included under the 'Har Ghar Jal Yojana'. "It is a historic step in ensuring drinking water facilities in rural areas," he added.
United News of India
25-07-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Odisha Govt to establish water corporation for improved drinking water management: Minister
Bhubaneswar, July 25 (UNI) The Odisha Government is planning to set up a dedicated Water Corporation to enhance the management and delivery of drinking water across the state, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, Rural Development Minister Ravinarayan Naik announced today. Addressing a press conference, Naik emphasised that clean and safe drinking water is a fundamental necessity, and the government is fully committed to ensuring its availability to every citizen of Odisha. To maintain the quality of drinking water, the minister said that 527,570 tubewells and sanitary wells, 21,401 production wells, and 15,155 overhead tanks across the state are being regularly cleaned and maintained. Naik also informed that out of the 29,512 tubewells sanctioned last year, construction of 20,891 has been nearly completed. Providing an update on large-scale infrastructure, he said that out of 207 ongoing mega drinking water projects, 18 have been completed so far. Work on the remaining projects has been expedited and is under direct supervision. He added that strict accountability measures are being implemented, and any deviation from standards or deadlines will invite action. Agencies failing to meet deadlines will face penalties, and responsible officers and employees will also be held accountable. In a significant development, all villages in Nuapada district have been included under the 'Har Ghar Jal Yojana,' a milestone towards ensuring safe drinking water in rural areas, the minister said. To fast-track progress, he said specific targets have been set, with 21 projects to be completed by August, 11 by the end of September, and another 22 by December 2025. UNI DP ARN
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Water tank built at cost of Rs 5.31 crore under Jal Jeevan Mission collapses in UP's Sitapur village
LUCKNOW: In Sitapur district, where eight villages lean on a single water tank to slake the thirst of over 5,000 souls, hope crumbled like brittle clay on Thursday. The 3,500-litre zincalume tank in Chunkaw Behema, a lifeline built under the ambitious Har Ghar Jal Yojana. This wasn't just a structural failure—it was the second tank collapse in Sitapur and the fifth in Uttar Pradesh, exposing cracks in the state's quest to deliver clean water to every home. The tank was built at the cost of Rs 5.31 crore and commissioned in January 2024. Its 18 km long pipe snaked through dusty lanes, feeding 845 households across Chunkaw Behema and seven neighbouring villages. 'The tank folded like a deck of cards,' said Shatrohan Lal, the guard of the water tank facility. Har Ghar Jal Yojana is a flagship scheme under the Jal Jeevan Mission to provide tap water to rural India. The mission has tested 16,000 tanks, but five failures—two in Sitapur, one in Lakhimpur Kheri this April, and two others elsewhere—have cast a long shadow. The State Water and Sanitation Mission (SWSM), stung by the fiasco took action, and 12 employees—from junior engineers to assistant engineers of the Rural Water Corporation and the Mission itself—were either suspended or dismissed. The construction agency, NCC Limited, was blacklisted, as was the third-party inspection firm that had greenlit the project. A 5% liquidated damages penalty was slapped on NCC, a financial sting to match the public outrage. Spokesperson of the SWSM said, 'The zincalume tank under the Chunka Behma in Sitapur's Vikas Khand Pehla collapsed on Thursday. Action has been taken by the department against officials, issued blacklisting notices to NCC and the inspection agency, and ordered a probe.' The executive engineer Rajiv Kumar has been served chargesheet and departmental inquiry has been initiated against him, assistant engineer Sanjeet Yadav, and junior engineer Saurab Singh Yadav have been suspended, while the district's third-party inspection head was sacked on the spot. To dig deeper, the Mission formed a high-level committee—comprising a Chief Engineer from the Rural Water Corporation, another from the Mission, and a Superintending Engineer—tasked with delivering a report within three days. Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary Anurag Srivastav, the Mission's director, ordered a technical audit of all Har Ghar Jal tanks in Sitapur, a move to prevent further disasters in a district already reeling from last year's collapse.
